The Portland daily press., 1887-03-07
cAR-HEATINc AT ALBANY.
Trial Of a Hot Water Heater-BlII In
troduced In the New York Senate.

ALBANY, March 5.-A practical test of a
new heater has been made by the state rail-
road commissioners. A partially dismantled
box car was pulled into position on the up
track in front of the Delaware and Hudson
depot, as soon after an engine pushing a
platform car steamed up and took position
little farther down the road. The two cars
represented the material for a railroad col
lision. which certain car heater company
had arranged to demonstrate the efficiency
of the Owen hot water safety car heater. On
the platform were gathered Master Machin-
list Backall, General Manager Young and
all the heads of departments of the Delaware
and Hudson road. Railroad Commissioners
Rogers, Herman and 0'Donnell and a num-
Der of engineers and railroad men. After
little delay the heater arrived and was
placed in position in the box car and partial
ly secured. 1t was a strongly built affair,
sized boiler. Everything connected with the
fire-b0x was well secured and the door was
provided with a fastening calculated to
Withstand any kind of a shock, 1t was the
identical heater that was thrown from the
Forty-ffth street bridge in New York a dis
tance of Al feet. and was afterward placed
between deadwoods of freight cars in test
in Boston. Outwardly it showed the effects
OF Its two campaigns, but practically u was
as good as new; an indentation about The
sides about an inch in depth showed the eff
feet of the Boston test, and a bed in the top
plate indicated where it struck when 1t fell
from the bridge.
When all was ready brisk fire was start
been inside inspecting the preparations,
retired to the platform. Several barrels of
Shavings were then scattered over the floor
Of the car and saturated with kerosene to
give any scattering Goals good chance to
operate. Then the tracks were cleared and
engine No. 100 backed down as far as State
street with the platform-car. This car was
provided with PROV or puncher In the
shape OF heavy beam secured by iron
braces which projected in a nearly horizon
tai position beyond the end of the car, and
which was designed to smash in the end OF
lhe box car and upset the stove. Depot |
master signaled go ahead" and No. 130 |
started with her throttle wide open. At tho |
lower end Of the depot she slowed up, and |
the platform car impelled by the 'riek"
rumbling along at good speed. IL reached |
the box car, there was tremendous crash |
and clanking of irons, the car almost lifted |
from the rails. shot along the track several |
rods, che puncher was completely wrecked |
and the heater knocked half way across the |
car lay quietly among the saturated shayings. |
There was no fire.
The collision had broken one of the bush |
ings on the water pipes in the heater and the |
however were intact: so that no Goals could /
escape, and the only sign that it showed of |
its rough usage was a slight dent in the side. |
1t was unceremoniously dumped of the car,
and after an inspection Commissioner O'D0n-
nell gave his opinion that it was perfectly
safe, and declared that in actual use it could
be subjected to no such test as the one
through which it had just passed. Mr..
Blackall gave an opinion very similar. The
car was then fired and Superintendent Black
all extinguished the flames with a hose at
tached to The locomotive.
As a result of these experiments bill was
in the Senate today providing that
after November l, no passenger car or any
but surface street railroad car shall be
warmed by fire burning therein or attached
thereto, or lighted by an explosive or inham-
mable material in contact with fire. Devices
for warming or lighting cars with appliances
for instant extinguishment or absolutely
preventing the spread of fire, may be used on
approval of the railroad commission.